Modern aircraft often include a number of data processing systems, referred to generally as aircraft systems, used to perform various functions for the aircraft, such as monitoring flight sensors, controlling aircraft operations, communicating with other components of the aircraft, and the like. Aircraft systems interface with different types of aircraft networks to exchange digital information. Due to the structure of certain aircraft networks, cyber-attacks on the aircraft systems may be a problem. Because the amount of digital information required for operating and maintaining an aircraft is steadily increasing, the importance of protecting aircraft systems from cyber-attacks is also increasing.
Traditional cybersecurity is aimed at preventing a cyber-attack or mitigating the effects from a cyber-attack on a computer system. Recently, development of responses to a cyber-attack (also known as cyber defenses) includes simulating one or more cyber-attack scenarios on the computer system, analyzing the effects of the simulated cyber-attack on the computer system and developing cyber defenses configured to respond to the effects of the simulated cyber-attack on the computer system.
While traditional cybersecurity may protect the hardware and/or software of aircraft networks and/or systems from certain types of cyber-attacks, there is currently no way to simulate the effects on a pilot of the aircraft in response to the cyber-attack on one or more aircraft systems or proactively develop cyber-attack defenses for the aircraft. Disadvantageously, such conventional cybersecurity standards are constantly in a reactive state (e.g., reactive cyber defenses). This is primarily due to analysis of the simulated cyber-attack scenario being directed to only the hardware and software systems of the aircraft, which by its very nature is reactionary and only provides a partial view of the end-effects of the cyber-attack on the aircraft. Therefore, the effects of the cyber-attack on the pilot and/or any other non-hardware/software system related to the aircraft must be theorized.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of cyber-attack security for aircraft systems.